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How to Prune Dogwoods for Winter Stem Colour

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  • 10-03-2012 8:58pm
    #1
    Irish_Elect_Eng
    Registered Users Posts: 1,260 ✭✭✭


    Hi All,

    I am looking for advice on how to best prune my dogwoods to ensure that I get the best winter colour from them.

    They are 4 years old about 6 feet tall, located in Galway and they are already beginning to bud, is to too late to prune them this year?

    Note: NOT an experienced gardener :-)

    Regards;

    Derek


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    #2
    Sonnenblumen
    Registered Users Posts: 5,834 ✭✭✭Sonnenblumen


    Very easy, in spring cut back all shoots to ground level ie < 200mm


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    #3
    Irish_Elect_Eng
    Registered Users Posts: 1,260 ✭✭✭Irish_Elect_Eng


    Thank you for the reply,

    Is this like pruning roses,should I cut above a bud

    If I do that this month, how high will the stems grow back this year?

    Should I do this every year?


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    #4
    Sonnenblumen
    Registered Users Posts: 5,834 ✭✭✭Sonnenblumen


    One prunes roses but Dogwoods IMO being closer to scrub planting are when it comes to annual cutting unfussy.


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    #5
    Irish_Elect_Eng
    Registered Users Posts: 1,260 ✭✭✭Irish_Elect_Eng


    I cut them well back, found the experience stressful:)

    Can't wait to see the new young stems next winter.


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    #6
    Sonnenblumen
    Registered Users Posts: 5,834 ✭✭✭Sonnenblumen


    Irish_Elect_Eng wrote: »
    I cut them well back, found the experience stressful:)

    Can't wait to see the new young stems next winter.

    It's a bit like being a good parent, sometimes you may appear to be cruel in order to be kind.

    You'll reap the rewards next Spring. For optimum colour performance, repeat cutback every year. ;)


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    #7
    deandean
    Registered Users Posts: 2,233 ✭✭✭deandean


    Interesting post, thank you OP, I have a shipload of dogwood and have been nibble-pruning it for a couple of years, they look very bare at low level, I am gonna massacre them now!

    They have got to be near-impossible to kill; when the branches touch ground they shoot; and suckers sprout all over the place.


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    #8
    lottpaul
    Registered Users Posts: 1,164 ✭✭✭lottpaul


    deandean wrote: »
    They have got to be near-impossible to kill; when the branches touch ground they shoot; and suckers sprout all over the place.

    +1

    I have loads of dogwoods and just cut them back severely every spring.

    I think the word "pruning" puts some people off - implying a certain level of skill and expertise, but when it comes to dogwoods, think more of "hacking" than pruning :)

    Just take your courage into your hand and away you go.


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    #9
    Irish_Elect_Eng
    Registered Users Posts: 1,260 ✭✭✭Irish_Elect_Eng


    A "Tip" I received was to decide on a pruning height, for me approx 12" and then just go for it. taking all "decision" out of the process and speeding it up mightily.

    I had pruned my roses the previous week and I had been faffing about deciding where to cut each branch, until I appealed her for advice and then asked in my Garden Center.

    Already seeing some "new life" beginning to think that Dogwood = Weed :-)


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